Tomatoes are the kind of summer treat that seemingly lasts forever at the farmers market, and which I often end up with a glut of in my fridge. I also happen to have a strange aversion to the pop of fresh cherry tomatoes in my mouth—something I know certain readers here actually live and die for. But not I. If a tomato is raw on my plate, I pray that it be sliced, thank you very much.
Which leads me to the glory of this dish—an astonishingly easy roasted tomato pasta for lunch or supper. Simply fill your cast iron skillet with cherry tomatoes, basil, sage, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt, roast for 20 minutes, pair with pasta of choice and goat’s cheese, et voila. Deeply fulfilling summer flavors to last you all year long.
Before we go on, though, let’s talk about fresh herbs. Growing up on Maui, all I had to do to get basil or rosemary or oregano was run into my yard. My mother was an avid gardener (and herbologist, and aromatherapist), and herbal bounty was a must. Here in Los Angeles, it’s a bit of a different story. I live in an apartment building that is sorely lacking the presence of a garden.
Fortunately, I am within walking distance of a lovely local farmers market, where a farmer I adore sells every type of herb I’ve ever dreamed of. Every Monday, I fill my house with mint, sage, basil, rosemary, lemon thyme, and cilantro. I keep some in glasses with water on the counter, and some in the fridge—I like having herbs handy near the stove while I’m cooking, so I can toss them into the pan on the fly.
Let fresh herbs be your friend. They taste good. They smell good. They will transform your palate. And your pasta!
Ingredients
- ½ pound gemelli pasta or any pasta you prefer!
- water for cooking pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes washed and stems removed
- 3-4 cloves garlic cut in thirds
- 2 Tbsp . torn or cut fresh basil leaves plus extra for garnish
- 1 Tbsp . torn or cut fresh sage leaves plus extra for garnish
- 1 Tbsp . olive oil plus extra to taste
- sea salt to taste
- ¼ cup chèvre goat’s cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º. Place tomatoes in a cast iron skillet or baking dish with fresh herbs, garlic, and two light sprinkles of sea salt. Toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil till everything is nicely coated and incorporated.
- Once oven is heated, roast the tomatoes for 15 minutes. Then, with one rack in the highest position, turn on the broiler and place the tomatoes directly beneath. Cook for 5-10 minutes, rotating at 5 minutes in. Let them brown slightly and burst.
- While the tomatoes are under the broiler, prepare the pasta according to instructions on the package. Toss lightly in olive oil.
- When tomatoes are done, plate (or bowthe pasta, and spoon roasted tomatoes and the liquid they’re in over the pasta. Top with extra fresh herbs, crumbled goat cheese, and an extra sprinkle of sea salt as desired.
